Improvement in horse-powers



Y nite-1I` ,glatte ge-tent dtiiilte.

OYRS ROBERTS AND JOHN A. THROP, OF THREE RIVERS, MIOHIGAN. f-

Leters Patent No. 99,951, dated February 15, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN' HORSE-BOWERS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, OYRUS ROBERTS and JOHN A. THROP, both ot\'l`hree Rivers, in the county ot St. Josephs, and State ot'Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Powers, of which the following is a full, clear, aud exact description.

The invention hereinafter claimed relates more especially to that class ot' machines known as mounted powers, and constitutes improvements on the machines shown in sundry Letters Patent of the United States heretofore granted to us, and respectively dated December 8, 1868, J nly 6, 1869, and J nly 13, 1869.

The first part of our invention relates to the staking or bracing ot' the power.

Its object is to prevent the yielding, working, or tipping oi' the machine while in operation; and the improvement consists- First, in combining with the frame rigid thrustbraccs, secured to its l'ront and rear ends, on opposite sides of and crossing the frame.

v Second, in" combining rigid thrust-braces projecting on opposite' sides and ends of the iame with tlexible tension-braces, each attached at one end to the outer end bf one rigid brace, und at its other end to the innerfend of the opposite rigid brace.

Third, in combining reversible thrust-braces' `with adjnstablelexible tension-braces, so constructed as to pass either above or below the main tiame.

Fourth, in combining the rear rigid thrust-brace with a removable straining-rod connecting the ends of the side timbers of the frame, to equalize the strain thereon. j,

Fifth, in combining the frame, rigid thrnst-braces, flexible tension-braces, and straining-rods, substantially as hereinaftershown. l

The object of the next part of our invention is to apply the power from either end ot' the frame; and our improvement consists- Sixth, in mounting the entire workingmcchanism in a metallic gear-trame,'n1ade reversible in its bearings.

The next part of our invention relates to the driving gearing; and our improvement consists- Seventh, in mounting the inner end of the lineshai't in swiveling bearings adjustable vertically in their stirrup, to enable the shatt to work at ditierent angles.

Eighth, in mounting the outer end of the line-shaft iii an adjustable stirrnp; to adjust that end in accordance with the adj nstment of the otherend.

Ninth, in combining a line-shaft mounted at one end inswiveling hearings in a stirrup on the bedplate, and in an adjustable hanger on the opposite end of the 4bed-plate.

Tenth, in so combining the line-shaft andtumblingrod by a jaw and roller connection that the tumblingrod may be turned up at right angles to the line-shaft for transportation.

Eleventh, in combining a jointed tumbling-rod with a removable straining-rod extending across the ti'ame,

which rod holds up the line-shaft when moving from place to place. Twelfth, in combining vertically-vibrating bearing rollers for holding down the main gear-wheel with adjusting screwsworking through slotted brackets on the inner-edge ot' the upper xed ring bed-plate.

Thirteenth, in combining with the frame pivoted slotted intersecting standards, to carry the sweeps and braces when moving from place toplace, but capable ot'being lowered upon the frame, out cf't-he way of the sweeps when at work.

The accompanying drawings show all our' improvements embodied in one machine; some of them, however, obviously* may be used without the others, or adapted to machines dilering somewhat in construc- `tion from that herein shown;

Figure 1 is a plan or top view of our improved machine, showing the tension-braces passing over the frame and the tumbling-rod extending behind the' Figure 5, a similar view'of` a portion of the same.,

showing the details of one of the bearing rollers.

Figure 6, aview in elevation of the vstirrup and swiv'cled bearing of the fi'ont end -of the line-shaft.

Figure 7, a view of the stirrup supporting the center of the line-shaft.

Figure 8, a front view of the supporting-rack. l A stout lnain frame, composed of longitudinal ,side timbers A A1, converging slightly from rear to front,

. and connected by cross-bars A2 A, is mounted on four The hind vwheels are mounted on an axle fastto the frame, but the axle'of the front wheels B. Ba is 'pivoted on a king-inrit, b, to enable the machine to turn more readily. The narrowing of the frame in front leaves more room for the wheels to turn on the kingbolt.

Rigid thrust-braces C C' are inserted into sockets o c, respectively situated on the inner sides of the side timbers A A1, near their frontand rear ends, or otherwise securel y connected with the beams. These braces, it will he observed, extend Aacross the frame and project on the opposite sides thereoand are staked to the ground in the usual well-known way.' This mode of' bracing the frame ena-bles us 'to use longer braces, and to arrange them at a less acute angle to t-he ground than the plans previously patented by us, thus obviating the tendency of the power to rise under the strain oi' the horses. f

These' braces thus arranged would work effectively without other bracing, but in order to secure the high-y est degree ot' eiiicieucy and to relieve the main frame from strain, we prefer to combine with the thrust. braces above described flexible tcnsion-braces D D', composed of jointed rods or chains, and attached' at one end to the outer end of i one thrust-brace, and at the other end to the innerend ot' the' other thrustbrace The strain ot' the tension-braces is thus thrown mainly on the stakes and on the thrust-braces, instead of acting directly on the main frame.

In this instance, rings d ou the tension-braces slip loosely over the rounded ends of the thrust-braces, and are adjusted thereon by a sexies of holes in the thrust-lance, into any one of which a pin, o, may be inserted. e

lhe other ends of the tension-brace hook into eyes Yd' on the thrust-lu'aces.

It is obvious that the connection between the thrust and tension-braces. may be. formed in other well-known ways. In ti". 1 the tension-braces are shown as passing' over thc frame timbers, which mode we prefer, as

the strain ou the timbers aids in holding the t'rame down to the ground. Sometimes, however, other arlrangements-l may be desirable, as, for instance, when working on hill-sides. To meet this contingency, the

`tln'ust-luaces, one or both, may be turned in their sockets until their hooks d.' are brought underneath,

and the tension-braces attached underneath the. frame, as in tig. 1.

1t is obvionsthat by using chains for the tensionbraces, either or both of the'nl might be passed under and hooked to the thrust-lances withouttnrniug the latter, andthat the turning of these braces might he amended by placing hooks or loops 'on two ot' their sides.

The tension-braces are always kept taut by the adi justing pins heretofore described. \Ve prefer that the *the strain ofthe thrust-brace C between'the two sides of the frame. It is made removable in order that the tmnbling-rod, whenturned up tbrtransportation, may be held up by the straining-rod, 'as hereinafter explained. The slots e might be closed and the rod E drawn through endwise, but this plan is not so convenient as'the one shown.

In order to carry out the next part of our invention, we (kast a bed-plate, F, of the form shown in the drawings,in'one piece.

A fixed ring or yoke, F', rests upon pillars f on the bed-plate.

A bevel wheel, G, is mounted on a spindle, g, supported by a bridge on the bed-plate.

The gearing otl our power is shown and described in our former patents, hereinbefore referred to, and is not therefore shown or described in detail here.

The line-shaft H at its inner end turns in apipe box, h, oscillating on trunuions having their bearings in lining-plates h1 adjustable vertically in the stirrup H ou the bed-,plate by means' of slots and set-'screws h. rl`his end of the line-shaft. can thus be adjusted relatively to the bevel wh'eel'G.

A bevel pinion, g', mounted on the line-shaft, gears into the bevel wheel G, and runs in an oil cup, h, bolted to the stirrnp, thus economizing oil.

The outer end ot' the line-shaft runs in a box, i, suspended from a'hanger, I, dependingfrom Athe bedplate. y

lhc spindle t" of the box z passes through flanges on the hanger.

A collar, ft2, 'resting on the upper bracket, is pierced with holes at dilferen't heights. A pin inserted in any one of these lioles regulates the height ofthe box and consequently the angle of the inclination of the lineshaft to the ground;

The, bedqilate F, it will be observed, rests uponthc 'side timbers A A, to which it is bolted by screws a.

By simply detaching the bed-plate from the frame and turning it half way round the line-shaft] may be made to project in t'ront instead of in rear of the trame.

lhe line-shaft H carries atits outer eml trunnions, to which a jaw, j, is tixcd. The tumbling-rodJ is likewise pivotcd to the jaw at right angles to the truu-` mons.

The jaw, it will be observed, is cnt away at the back so as to permit it to be turned up at i'ightangles to the line-shaft. When thus turned up it may be held up by a rod passed through the frame, or may rest against the rel'novable straining-rod E, which must ofcourse be removed before the tumbling-rod is turned up.

XVe are aware that swiveled tumbling-rods are old, but we Vare not aware ot' a tumhlbug-rod heilig cnnstructed with a jaw and roller joint which allows the vrod to turn up at right angles to the shal't.

In order to prevent the bevel wheel from rising ont of contact with its, gears, we mount a bearing roller,

K, on an elbow lever, It, pivoted to vibrate vertically in the bed-plate.

'lhe free eml of the elbow lever plays freely in a. vertical slot, 1, in a bracket, L, ou the yoke 11".

A set-screw, l', passes down through tliehbracket and serves to regulate the pressure of the bearing-roller on the bevel wheel. p

This device is an improvement on that shown in our patent ot' December S, 1868, and secures better work, as the guide-plate prevents the lateral detiection of the roller.

f A roller, la', similar to that already described, is arranged on the 4bed-plate at right angles to the lineshaft, for a purpose fully described in our patent aforesaid.

Then moving from place to place the sweeps and braces are carried on a frame or horse, formed by pivoting two slotted timbers, M, to the holsters or frame, ariangingthem toV cross each othe', and connecting them by a. set-screw, m, at their point ot' intersection. a

\Vhen working, these pieces arelowered upon the li'ame, out ofthe way ofthe sweeps. The machine is drawn by a tongue in the usual way.

In operation the sweeps are applied tothe powerin the usual way. The braces are applied as in ii". l or 2 and staked vdown to the ground, as shown. No fastening of the wheels is required. rlhe horses move inthe direction shown by the arrow in tig. 1. The tension-braces counteract any tendency to rise of the corners, at whichthe thrustbraces touch the frame, while the strain ofthe team depresses the other corners.

lhev operation of the other parts of the niechanisnr needs no description here, being vwell known to all skillful builders of horse-powers.

We do not herein broadly claim braeinglahorsepower, or the combination ot' rigid an.l flexible braces, neither do we claimthe bed-plate or gearing.

We claim as our invention#- Vl. The combination with vthe frame of the rigid thrust-braces secured to its front and rear ends, on opposite sides of and crossing the frame in the| inanner described.

2The combination `of rigid thrust-braces on opposite sides and ends of the framc, with fiexible tensionblacs, each extending from one rigid brace to the other, substantially as set forth.

3. rihe combination of thrust-braceswith tensionbraces, arranged to pass either above or below the frame, as set forth.

4', The combination of the rear thrust-brace with the straining-rod, these parts being constructed to operate as set forth.

5. Tile combination of the frame, thrust-braces, tension-braces, and straining-rod, all these parts being constructed to operate substantially as set forth. l

6. The combination with the main frame of the reversible bed-plate, these parts being constructed to operate substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

7. The combination ofthe stirrup H, the adj ustablc,

swivel bearings, andthe line-shaft, all these parts being constructed to operate as set forth.

8. The combination of the bedplate, adjustable stirrup I, and line-shaft, all these parts being constructed to operate as set forth.

' 9. The combination of the bed-plate, line-shaft, thcswiveled bearing in the stirrup H', and the adjustable stirrup I on the opposite end of the bed-plate, all these parts being constructed to operate as set forth.

10. The combination of the line-shaft and tumbling rod by the jaw and roller joint, constructed as described, to permit the-rod to be turned at right angles ate as set forth.

14. The combination of the line-shaft, the journalbox supporting its end, the stirrup H', and the oilv cup,

eration.

our names. p 4

CYRUS ROBERTS.k JOHN A. THROP.

Witnesses: v

J As. H. LYON, MICHAEL Gmslmlu.y

intersecting supportiug-standards, constructed to operall these parts being arranged as set forth for joint op- In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed Y 

